By The Sampadak Express
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge, marking the country’s first vertical-lift sea bridge, in Tamil Nadu on the occasion of Ram Navami. The inauguration event included the flagging off of a Coast Guard ship, which sailed under the newly built bridge, as well as the launch of the Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) train service.
The Prime Minister, who had just returned from a three-day visit to Sri Lanka, also performed a puja at the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram and laid the foundation stone for several rail and road infrastructure projects worth over Rs 8,300 crore in Tamil Nadu.
A Marvel of Engineering and Infrastructure
The 2.07-kilometer-long Pamban Bridge spans the Palk Strait and stands as a symbol of India’s engineering excellence and infrastructural ambitions. Located in the Ramanathapuram district, the bridge connects Rameswaram Island with Mandapam on the mainland. Built at a cost of over Rs 700 crore by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, the bridge features a unique 72.5-meter vertical-lift span, capable of being raised by 17 meters to allow ships to pass safely beneath it.
The bridge is designed to accommodate two railway tracks, though it currently operates a single line, with train speeds of up to 80 km/h. The infrastructure is built to handle increased rail traffic and heavier loads in the future.
The bridge is designed to last for 100 years, utilizing advanced engineering techniques that minimize the need for frequent maintenance. It incorporates stainless steel reinforcement, fully welded joints, high-grade protective paint, and a polysiloxane coating to prevent corrosion from the harsh marine environment.
A Modern Engineering Marvel
The New Pamban Bridge is already being compared to iconic structures like the Golden Gate Bridge in the USA, the Tower Bridge in the UK, and the Oresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, due to its state-of-the-art design and technological advancements.
The original Pamban Bridge, built in 1914 by British engineers, used a manually operated Scherzer’s span—a type of rolling lift bridge. However, the old bridge was eventually closed to rail traffic for safety reasons.
PM Modi’s Aerial View of the Ram Setu
While en route from Sri Lanka, PM Modi had the opportunity to witness the Ram Setu, also known as Adam’s Bridge, from the air. The bridge, which links India’s Rameswaram Island to Sri Lanka’s Mannar Island, stretches 48 kilometers and separates the Gulf of Mannar from the Palk Strait. The Prime Minister shared a video of the sight on social media, expressing his spiritual connection, stating, “Blessed to have the Darshan of both the Ram Setu and the Surya Tilak in Ayodhya at the same time. Prabhu Shri Ram is a uniting force for all of us.”
The inauguration of the New Pamban Bridge and the PM’s spiritual journey are a reminder of India’s continuous strides in infrastructure development, along with the country’s deep cultural and religious roots.
